October trade incentives

The trade in Canada is always flush with bonus rewards opportunities for travel agents as suppliers seek to encourage bookings and to thank agents for their loyalty. Here is our monthly look at some of the offers that are currently available:

Sunwing: 12 per cent commission is on tap for agents booking clients to Puerto Vallarta and Riviera Nayarit through Oct. 31 for travel Nov. 1 to April 30, 2018. Additionally, agents will receive 2X STAR Agent Reward Points when they confirm their clients’ bookings by Oct. 27. Plus, each time an agent makes a booking to any participating resort, they’ll gain a ballot for a chance to win an all-inclusive vacation for two to one of the following resorts: Casa Velas Hotel, Hilton Puerto Vallarta Resort, Krystal Vallarta or Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta.

• Also through Oct. 27, Sunwing is offering agents the opportunity to earn 2X STAR Agent Reward Points for all new bookings to Mexico, Cuba and the Dominican Republic. The offer is valid on new bookings for travel through April 30, 2018. All resorts and room categories are included. (www.sunwingagents.ca)

Tourism New Zealand: Travel agents feeling a need for New Zealand can now organize their own independent fam trip (plus a guest) through Tourism New Zealand’s new Explore Plus Program, which provides agents with more than 500 air, land, accommodation and attraction discounts, plus the resources to design a personally curated New Zealand itinerary. Special discounted fares include:

• Air New Zealand – Fares from Vancouver, San Francisco, Los Angeles and Houston starting at $200*. The first 100 agents to book receive an additional $200 off the discounted price. • American Airlines – 50 per cent off return fares from Los Angeles.• Air Tahiti Nui – $550 return fare from Los Angeles.• Fiji Airways – Fly from either Los Angeles or San Francisco for $599 or from Honolulu for $559. The first 25 agents to book receive an additional $200 off the discounted fare.(*All prices U.S. dollars).

Collette: The Book Your Own Bonus agent incentive is back with a birthday twist in honor of the tour operator’s upcoming centennial celebration! Agents qualify for this promotion after their very first booking and can receive incentive earnings in addition to their commission. Following an initial booking, earnings increase to $50 for the second and $100 for the third and each booking after that (with no limits).

Contiki: …wants agents to complete its e-learning course, and to nudge them along, successful participants will be eligible to take part in a seven-day fam to India, Nov. 5-15, showcasing the tour company’s product from Delhi to Jaipur. A short, written note explaining how the fam will help increase sales is also required. All ages are welcome; for details contact your local sales manager or sales@contiki.ca. International airfare is not included.

Goway: Agents who make three bookings to Tahiti by the end of the year with the tour operator’ IslandsEscapes team will qualify for a free trip to the South Pacific island. Twenty-five agents will receive the prize, which includes five nights accommodation in a four-star hotel and roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles. Six bookings qualify the agent to bring a companion. Also, the tour operator has teamed up with Qantas to offer a $55 incentive for its Icons of Australia tours – “six distinct packages [designed] to unlock Australia’s most memorable sights, along with some of its hidden corners.” (GowayAgent.com)

TravelBrands: Agents booking TravelBrands on its web site travelbrandsagent.ca through Dec. 15 continue to be automatically entered for a chance to win a million Loyalty Rewards points, which can be redeemed for merchandise, travel, gift cards or be donated to multiple foundations and charities. Leading up to the grand prize, TravelBrands will also give away 100,000 Loyalty Rewards points each month. Meanwhile, every five car rentals booked through Access before June 30 will also earn every travel agent a $25 Petro Canada gift card.